market forecast

Japan’s construction equipment industry is expected to achieve healthy performance for fiscal 2018–2019, according to a demand forecast recently compiled by the Japan Construction Equipment Manufacturers Association (CEMA). This continues a trend from both fiscal 2017 and early fiscal 2018 wherein sluggish domestic demand has been offset by stronger demand overseas, leading to higher revenues on the whole. Alongside this...

The Carbon Black Association has upwardly revised its demand forecast for carbon black in a midyear revision. Under the association’s new estimates, total demand for domestic product this year – including exports – is now set to hit 765,050 tons. Previously, this figure was projected at 759,049 tons, which would have represented a flat growth rate based on non-finalized demand...

Production volume for new rubber hoses in 2017 is forecast to be 36,632 tons, up 5.8 percent year-on-year, according to annual demand data compiled by the Japan Rubber Hose Manufacturers Association. Meanwhile, shipment value is forecast at 138.4 billion yen ($1.23 billion), up 2.1 percent. Though production volume and shipment value showed losses last year, both are expected to have...

The conveyor belt business is recovering thanks to a turnaround in domestic demand for conveyor production and a 40 percent jump in exports to Australia. Meanwhile, soaring raw material costs are hurting the industry’s bottom line. Production volume figures for January through August compiled by the Japan Belting Manufacturers Association show that output has recovered on a year-on-year basis to...

Sumitomo Riko Co. Ltd. (TYO:5191) President Tetsu Matsui says that he feels a sense of crisis at the need for his company to adapt to the trend toward electric vehicles (EVs), which is moving faster than expected. As EVs become more prevalent, he said, there will be a reduction in use of anti-vibration rubber and hose products for internal combustion...

The Carbon Black Association of Japan has released a mid-year update to its estimates of 2017 demand for carbon black. Demand including exports is now projected to rise 0.5 percent from last year to a total of 750,785 tons. While demand in tons has been downwardly revised from the previously projected 753,115 tons, the new figures indicate higher expected growth...